Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
AMITE, La. (WGNO) — “Sober, no drugs in my system, I did it,” said accused killer Daniel Callihan when speaking to the media.
The confession from Callihan about killing both Callie Brunett and her 4-year-old daughter Erin gives neighbors chills.
James Allemond’s home sits right behind Callihan’s camper. He says that sometimes, Callihan would shout threats.
“He wanted to go find a way to be locked up. He always wanted to be locked up. That’s all he ever talked about, locked up, locked up. He is getting tired of life, that’s all he tells me. He got tired of life,” said Allemond.
One neighbor living near Callihan in Amite explains they spent a lot of time together, and he saw her as a mother figure. She never thought he would commit murder.
“To me, it’s like he knew then what he was doing. I was down there picking up rocks with him all the time and it never bothered me, because I never saw that sign. Makes me sick, he probably could have killed me,” said Callihan’s neighbor.
Multiple neighbors said they saw a change in Calihan once he became medicated.
“I have no reason for what I did. All I want to say is that I was sober and only on Lexapro,” said Callihan.
They say two days before the murders, a neighbor’s home caught on fire and most in the neighborhood believed Callihan did it.
“He was the first one that I said probably did it because he had access to take care of the cat. The owner didn’t think it was him, but I knew in my heart he was,” said Callihan’s neighbor.
Sadness lives on as Allemond wishes he could have done more to help Callihan. He believes the mother and daughter might still be alive.
“He needed to get a psychiatrist, but he wouldn’t go. He would not get help. He was not right in the head I know that, but I tried to straighten him up, but he wouldn’t listen. He wouldn’t listen,” said Allemond.
Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.